Method and apparatus for driving cell array driven by electric field

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for driving an electric field driven cell array including a plurality of electric field driven cells, in which each of the electric field driven cells includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a third electrode, which are provided on a substrate and insulated from one another, and an actuator movable between the first electrode and the second electrode, the apparatus including, a common voltage supply unit for supplying common voltage, a gate driver for supplying gate voltage, and a data driver for supplying data voltage.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for driving an electric field driven cell array including a plurality of electric field driven cells,
 wherein each of the electric field driven cells includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a third electrode, which are provided on a substrate and insulated from one another, and an actuator movable between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are spaced from each other with a predetermined distance, and the third electrode is disposed below the first electrode, the apparatus including: 
 a common voltage supply unit for supplying a common voltage to the first electrode of the electric field driven cell; 
 a gate driver for supplying a gate voltage to the second electrode of the electric field driven cell by a gate line; and 
 a data driver for supplying a data voltage to the third electrode of the electric field driven cell by a data line, 
 wherein the actuator is positioned adjacent to the first electrode or the second electrode in accordance with a state of the gate voltage and the data voltage, 
 wherein if a high level gate voltage drops to a low level gate voltage, the gate driver maintains a voltage level between the high level gate voltage and the low level gate voltage for a certain time period before the gate voltage reaches the low level thereof. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus for driving an electric field driven cell array claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises conductive material and has no permanent charge. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus for driving an electric field driven cell array claimed in  claim 1 , wherein if a high level gate voltage is applied to the second electrode in the state that the actuator is positioned adjacent to the first electrode, when a low level data voltage is applied to the third electrode, the actuator moves to a position adjacent to the second electrode. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus for driving an electric field driven cell array claimed in  claim 1 , wherein if a high level gate voltage is applied to the second electrode in the state that the actuator is positioned adjacent to the second electrode, when a high level data voltage is applied to the third electrode, the actuator moves to a position adjacent to the first electrode. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus for driving an electric field driven cell array claimed in  claim 1 , wherein if a high level gate voltage drops to a low level gate voltage, the gate driver enables the gate voltage to reach the low level and maintain at the low level for a certain time period. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus for driving an electric field driven cell array claimed in  claim 1 , wherein if a high level gate voltage drops to a low level gate voltage, the gate driver maintains a voltage level corresponding to ½ of a difference value between the high level gate voltage and the low level gate voltage for at least a certain time period before the gate voltage reaches the low level thereof. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus for driving an electric field driven cell array claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each of the electric field driven cells is not connected to a capacitance device or an active switching device for activation of each of the electric field driven cells. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus for driving an electric field driven cell array including a plurality of electric field driven cells,
 wherein each of the electric field driven cells includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a third electrode, which are provided on a substrate and insulated from one another, and an actuator movable between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are spaced from each other with a predetermined distance, and the third electrode is disposed below the first electrode, the apparatus including: 
 a common voltage supply unit for supplying a common voltage to the first electrode of the electric field driven cell; 
 a gate driver for supplying a gate voltage to the third electrode of the electric field driven cell by a gate line; and 
 a data driver for supplying a data voltage to the second electrode of the electric field driven cell by a data line; 
 wherein the actuator is positioned adjacent to the first electrode or the second electrode in accordance with supply state of the gate voltage and the data voltage, 
 wherein if a high level gate voltage drops to a low level gate voltage, the gate driver maintains a voltage level between the high level gate voltage and the low level gate voltage for a certain time period before the gate voltage reaches the low level thereof. 
 
     
     
       9. The apparatus for driving an electric field driven cell array claimed in  claim 8 , wherein if a high level gate voltage is applied to the third electrode in the state that the actuator is positioned adjacent to the first electrode, when a high level data voltage is applied to the second electrode, the actuator moves to a position adjacent to the second electrode. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus for driving an electric field driven cell array claimed in  claim 8 , wherein if a high level gate voltage is applied to the third electrode in the state that the actuator is positioned adjacent to the second electrode, when a low level data voltage is applied to the second electrode, the actuator moves to a position adjacent to the first electrode. 
     
     
       11. A method for driving an electric field driven cell array including a plurality of electric field driven cells, wherein each of the electric field driven cells includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a third electrode, which are provided on a substrate and insulated from one another, and an actuator movable between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are spaced from each other with a predetermined distance, and the third electrode is disposed below the first electrode, the method including:
 (a) applying a certain level of common voltage to the first electrode of the electric field driven cell; 
 (b) activating a gate line of an electric field driven cell, which is desired to operate, by selectively applying a gate voltage to the second electrode of the electric field driven cell; and 
 (c) positioning the actuator at a position adjacent to the first electrode or the second electrode, by selectively applying a data voltage to the third electrode of the electric field cell, 
 wherein (b) activating a gate line by applying the gate voltage includes maintaining the gate voltage at a level between a high level gate voltage and a low level gate voltage for at least a certain time period, when the high level gate voltage drops to the low level gate voltage. 
 
     
     
       12. The method for driving an electric field driven cell array claimed in  claim 11 , wherein (b) activating a gate line by applying the gate voltage includes maintaining the gate voltage at the low level for at least a certain time period , when a high level gate voltage drops to a low level gate voltage. 
     
     
       13. The method for driving an electric field driven cell array claimed in  claim 11 , wherein (b) activating a gate line by applying the gate voltage includes maintaining the gate voltage at a level corresponding to ½ of a difference value between a high level gate voltage and a low level gate voltage for at least a certain time period, when the high level gate voltage drops to the low level gate voltage. 
     
     
       14. The method for driving an electric field driven cell array claimed in  claim 11 , wherein (c) positioning the actuator at a position adjacent to the first electrode or the second electrode includes moving the actuator to a position adjacent to the second electrode by applying a low level data voltage to the third electrode, when a high level gate voltage is applied to the second electrode in the state that the actuator is po- sitioned adjacent to the first electrode. 
     
     
       15. The method for driving an electric field driven cell array claimed in  claim 11 , wherein (c) positioning the actuator at a position adjacent to the first electrode or the second electrode includes moving the actuator to a position adjacent to the first electrode by applying a high level data voltage to the third electrode, when a high level gate voltage is applied to the second electrode in the state that the actuator is positioned adjacent to the second electrode. 
     
     
       16. A method for driving an electric field driven cell array including a plurality of electric field driven cells, wherein each of the electric field driven cells includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a third electrode, which are provided on a substrate and insulated from one another, and an actuator movable between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are spaced from each other with a predetermined distance, and the third electrode is disposed below the first electrode, the method including:
 (a) applying a certain level of common voltage to the first electrode of the electric field driven cell; 
 (b) activating a gate line of an electric field driven cell, which is desired to operate, by selectively applying a gate voltage to the third electrode of the electric field driven cell; and 
 (c) positioning the actuator at a position adjacent to the first electrode or the second electrode, by selectively applying a data voltage to the second electrode of the electric field driven cell, 
 wherein (b) activating a gate line by applying the gate voltage includes maintaining the gate voltage at a level between a high level gate voltage and a low level gate voltage for at least a certain time period, when the high level gate voltage drops to the low level gate voltage. 
 
     
     
       17. The method for driving an electric field driven cell array claimed in  claim 16 , wherein (c) positioning the actuator at a position adjacent to the first electrode or the second electrode includes moving the actuator to a position adjacent to the second electrode by applying a high level data voltage to the second electrode, when a high level gate voltage is applied to the third electrode in the state that the actuator is positioned adjacent to the first electrode. 
     
     
       18. The method for driving an electric field driven cell array claimed in  claim 16 , wherein (c) positioning the actuator at a position adjacent to the first electrode or the second electrode includes moving the actuator to a position adjacent to the first electrode by applying a low level data voltage to the second electrode, when a high level gate voltage is applied to the third electrode in the state that the actuator is positioned adjacent to the second electrode.